50 RWHP pickup for my Z28

This is a discussion on 50 RWHP pickup for my Z28 within the Camaro / SS forums, part of the Vehicle Specific category; I personally wouldnt put a larger cam in a car without headers/lid/ls6 or better intake....

A guy at work today told me that I could pick up nearly 60 with a cam made by Texas Speed. The kit runs about 900 from what I'm told. He also told me it would run me about 550-600 bucks for the install and with a good tune the cam wouldn't ruin my engine ( he said it's a pretty big cam ). I was thinking of doing that and a set of LTs.

He is prolly talking about the magik stick 4 cam. Gonna be way more then a grand.
You say the kit is $900-That would be for,cam,hardened pushrods,springs,retainers,oil pump,gasket set.
+ LT headers $370 (pacesetter coated LTs)
+ install for both $600 for cam +$200-250 for header install
+ street tune $300
= $2420.00 maybe less maybe more

I paid under 1000 for my whole cam setup, over winter i will be putting in my new cam, valve train, intake manifold, clutch, SFC, 4.10 rear gears, ford ranger rear end, and drag radials. Just learn how to work on your car or get a friend who know how, save yourself half the cost. Oh yeah and my buddy tunes ls1 cars so 20 bucks for a dyno tune. Also have a friend who works at a shop , 100 dollars for a port polish on my heads, friends and experience is how to save money when modding a car. All the parts total under 2grand for a 400+rwhp car that can run mid 11s.

One time at burger king me and my friend brett who happens to own a 98 ranger 4.0v6, convinced a kid sitting in the parking lot with the hood open on his CRX that bretts ranger was a Ranger Lightning, a 5.3 supercharged ranger, then we popped the hood and the kid stil lbelieved us cause we said we just kept the 4.0 badges.

He is prolly talking about the magik stick 4 cam. Gonna be way more then a grand.
You say the kit is $900-That would be for,cam,hardened pushrods,springs,retainers,oil pump,gasket set.
+ LT headers $370 (pacesetter coated LTs)
+ install for both $600 for cam +$200-250 for header install
+ street tune $300
= $2420.00 maybe less maybe more

It was actually called Torquer v.3. Can't find the kit on their site but the cam alone goes for 389. 2400 ain't bad for an added 80rwhp. The Magik Stick sounds good too, since according to them it'll make appx. 80hp. But I wonder how rough they're talking when they say "rough idle".

Would one of these cams ruin my engine? Ruin driveability? Make stalls more likely, etc?

Well that sucks. I'm starting to think I should just go with a 100 shot of NOS for right now. That way I won't feel like my hands are tied next time a GOAT pulls on side of me on the interstate. Plus a guy has a TNT kit he wants to part with for 500.

You can find all the valve train items and cams on this website for good deals but if you got a cam you would need to upgrade the pushrods, valve springs, timing chain, some people do oil pump i would def do it and the cam. Now some cams are good for 30rwhp some big cams can see gains of 60 or 70rwhp but if you want drivability there are some cams that can get you 50rwhp and stil lbe very drivable. Not to mention your power band will increase, take off the rev limit cause you can make power past 6100rpms now.

This is not true!! It depends on the cam. Certain cams will require you to replace the push rods etc. But you could get a milder cam that would not require you to change these parts. If you go with a bigger cam it could cost a few thousand to properly install it. If you go with a milder cam (that would not require you to change the push rods etc). You will save alot but will need a dyno tune.

The intake manifold is a good diea however i have seen plenty of ls1 cars with the ls1 intake gaining 50or more hp out of a cam swap and tune. Then get the lsx intake and gain 15more rwhp and a fuck ton of tourque i have seen trq go up by almost over 20 at the wheels with the fast lsx.

NONONO!!!! He has stock manifolds on the car. He would be waisting his money to install a cam right now. Dude!! Put a lid, K&N filter, free mod, and L/T headers with y pipe on the car with a custom tune and that alone should put you between 330 and 365 RWHP. My car is making 345 to the wheels with just a lid, filter exhaust and a custume tune! With a converter I will be running mid to low 12's. And don't just throw ant type of headrs on the car. MAke sure that they are full length headers that are tuned. Example Hookers, kooks, Dynatech. All good brands to try.

This is not true!! It depends on the cam. Certain cams will require you to replace the push rods etc. But you could get a milder cam that would not require you to change these parts. If you go with a bigger cam it could cost a few thousand to properly install it. If you go with a milder cam (that would not require you to change the push rods etc). You will save alot but will need a dyno tune.

Listen if you get a cam, you will NEED Valve springs, and pusrods often bend under the force of a stock ls1, Pushrods should be replaced whether you put a cam in a ls1 or not, they are rated at 6200rpms, and higher and the bend like butter, the timing chain also snap all the time, No you dont need to replace the valve train, but have fun 1 week down the road when you have to pull your motor apart because you ahve to raplace your valve train and possibly some other parts if the damage is bad enough. Also I have broken 3 valve springs and my only mods are headers, exhaust and a lid. Also what you said about getting headers exhaust and a tune is a good idea, you really should have bolt ons before cam swap. With headers, exahust and lid with no tune i made 337rwhp with a tune could made 350rwhp. Even the z06 cam which is barley bigger than the ls1 cams require a valve spring upgrade